Heart-to-Heart: Shulk's Taunts
by TrueSapphire
Summary: Shulk finds Little Mac practicing his taunts in front of the mirror. Mac decides to encourage Shulk to taunt in future battles. What are Shulk's taunt quotes, and will Mac approve? [One-shot and no spoilers. Readable for everyone].


**In this disclaimer, I do not own ****_Super Smash Bros, _****nor make profit out of them. ****_Super Smash Bros _****belongs to Masahiro Sakurai, Nintendo, and their respective owners. My stories are for entertainment purposes only.**

**First started on September 23rd, 2014.  
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**General Overview:**

**1. This pair was inspired in Shulk's Famitsu scans where Shulk was posing with Little Mac.**

**2. For those who do not know about ****_Xenoblade, _****Heart-to-Hearts are interactions between two people. Depending on dialog choices, friendship (affinity in ****_Xenoblade)_**** can be raised or lowered. There are four possible endings depending on what the character say. This is roughly the equivalent version of Fire Emblem's support conversation, just with a few differences.**

**Below are the terms used in ****_Xenoblade Chronicles:_**

**Heartwarming – Conversation goes as smoothly as possible (two positive choices). This is the true ending.  
>Heartbreaking – Conversation goes as badly as possible (two negative choices).<br>Four small hearts raised – Positive choice selected.  
>Four small hearts lowered – Negative choice selected.<br>One big heart raised – Ends the conversation with a big boost of friendship (affinity in ****_Xenoblade)_****.**

* * *

><p>Shulk wandered alone in the halls, heading back to his room since he needed to sleep. As he walked closer to the Wii Fit Studio, he could hear male grunts from inside. The door was slightly opened, and Shulk curiously decided to enter to see one lone boxer in front of the giant mirror: Little Mac. From Shulk's point of view, it looked like Mac was posing.<p>

First, Mac was throwing several punches in the air, as though he was warming up. Next, he was making some gestures with his arms. Finally, he threw his left arm in triumph. Due to the giant mirror, Mac already saw Shulk entering this room. Shulk walked up to Mac as the two faced each other.

* * *

><p><span><em>Heartbreaking – Looks Like We Don't Have A Choice!<em>

"What are you doing, Mac?" Shulk asked the boxer. "It looked like you were posing."

"Hey, Shulk," Mac greeted, wiping a sweat from his forehead. "I'm doing my taunts."

"Taunts?"

"Oh yeah..." Mac realized. "You don't know about this. When I played the role as an Assist Trophy in the past, one of the things I learned was the fighters taunting their opponents. And since I'm officially a fighter, I need to pump up for this!"

"What? Why would we taunt?" Shulk raised his voice in confusion.

"Taunting is used to annoy, provoke, mock, or celebrate yourself... Wait a second!" Mac looked straight at Shulk's face. "You came just in the right moment! You're a newcomer, and you don't have any taunts! Why don't we work on your taunts?" Mac spoke eagerly.

_"Uh-oh... What should I do?" _Shulk contemplated for a few seconds before answering. "I don't know about this..."

**Four small hearts lowered**

"What? Why?" Mac gawked at Shulk.

"I'm...just not the person to taunt my opponents," Shulk explained, scratching the back of his head. "I don't want to anger my opponents. It's not like me."

Mac crossed his big muscular arms in disappointment. "Shulk, you are in a fighting tournament. Eventually, your opponents will taunt you, so you should taunt them back once you get your revenge. I'll even taunt you if I do knock you out of the screen."

Shulk sighed heavily. "Guess I can't get out of this one... All right, I give in. How about one taunt for now since it's pretty late?"

"Yeah!" Mac smiled proudly. "That's the spirit, Shulk!"

"So...what kind of taunts I should use?"

"Hmm... How about you say one of your quotes? A good quote that makes your opponents tick!"

"One of my quotes... Hmm..." Shulk thought about it before answering. "Looks like we don't have a choice!"

**Four small hearts lowered**

"I...guess that could work," Mac responded back a little hesitantly. "What's the origin of that quote?"

"It's a rare occasion, but I say it when my friends and I are about to fight a very powerful opponent at the start of the battle," Shulk answered as Mac nodded, understanding the quote.

"That makes sense. Here, all the fighters are strong. Stronger than the boxers I fought. Okay, Shulk, say that quote in front of the mirror!"

"Uh..." Shulk faced the mirror, thinking of a pose before doing his taunt. He decided to do like his past and difficult battles. Before that, he imagined a very powerful opponent like the Gogol called the Territorial Rotbart or the Immovable Gonzalez. He took the Monado out of his back and activated the Monado's beam. "Looks like we don't have a choice!" Shulk yelled angrily, hoping to get this over with.

"Ooh... Nice!" Mac grinned. "That will work."

_"Hmm... Feels a bit off," _Shulk thought before putting the Monado on his back.

"Shulk? Something you want to say?"

"Oh, nothing," Shulk dismissed the question. "So are we done here? I actually need to sleep now."

"Yup. But next time we get a chance, we're working on more on your taunts. Try to think more taunts in your sleep, okay?"

**One big heart raised**

"I guess I don't have a choice," Shulk responded with a small smile. "I'll think up a better quote, Mac."

* * *

><p><span><em>Net LossGain – This is the Monado's Power!_

"What are you doing, Mac?" Shulk asked the boxer. "It looked like you were posing."

"Hey, Shulk," Mac greeted, wiping a sweat from his forehead. "I'm doing my taunts."

"Taunts?"

"Oh yeah..." Mac realized. "You don't know about this. When I played the role as an Assist Trophy in the past, one of the things I learned was the fighters taunting their opponents. And since I'm officially a fighter, I need to pump up for this!"

"What? Why would we taunt?" Shulk raised his voice in confusion.

"Taunting is used to annoy, provoke, mock, or celebrate yourself... Wait a second!" Mac looked straight at Shulk's face. "You came just in the right moment! You're a newcomer, and you don't have any taunts! Why don't we work on your taunts?" Mac spoke eagerly.

_"Uh-oh... What should I do?" _Shulk contemplated for a few seconds before answering. "I don't know about this..."

**Four small hearts lowered**

"What? Why?" Mac gawked at Shulk.

"I'm...just not the person to taunt my opponents," Shulk explained, scratching the back of his head. "I don't want to anger my opponents. It's not like me."

Mac crossed his big muscular arms in disappointment. "Shulk, you are in a fighting tournament. Eventually, your opponents will taunt you, so you should taunt them back once you get your revenge. I'll even taunt you if I do knock you out of the screen."

Shulk sighed heavily. "Guess I can't get out of this one... All right, I give in. How about one taunt for now since it's pretty late?"

"Yeah!" Mac smiled proudly. "That's the spirit, Shulk!"

"So...what kind of taunts I should use?"

"Hmm... How about you say one of your quotes? A good quote that makes your opponents tick!"

"One of my quotes... Hmm..." Shulk thought about it before answering. "This is the Monado's power!"

**Four small hearts raised**

"Ooh... Nice!" Mac grinned and nodded. "That does strike fear in your opponents. Even I know your weapon is powerful and scary. What's that from?"

"I say that quote before I use one of my Monado Arts," Shulk replied.

"In that case, show me how it's done!"

"Right. I won't let you down," Shulk smirked, pulling out his Monado and facing the mirror. He gripped the handle in front of him. "This is the Monado's power!" The Monado's beam came out as the ether flowed out of the blade.

"Yeah! You're looking pretty cool, Shulk!" Mac cheered. "However, how about we make that taunt even cooler?"

"Huh? How?" Shulk asked confusingly. Mac walked up to him and carefully positioned Shulk's arm and the Monado. The result was the Monado slightly pointing down to the ground at an angle.

"Now say that quote again, but in that pose!"

"Uh, all right... This is the Monado's power!" Shulk exclaimed, doing the same pose from before.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Mac approved Shulk's new taunt as Shulk deactivated the beam and sheathed the Monado on his back. "Now we just need to come up with more taunts in the future. You up for it, Shulk?"

**One big heart raised**

"Like I said before, I won't let you down," Shulk smirked back.

* * *

><p><span><em>Net GainLoss – Now It's Shulk Time!_

"What are you doing, Mac?" Shulk asked the boxer. "It looked like you were posing."

"Hey, Shulk," Mac greeted, wiping a sweat from his forehead. "I'm doing my taunts."

"Taunts?"

"Oh yeah..." Mac realized. "You don't know about this. When I played the role as an Assist Trophy in the past, one of the things I learned was the fighters taunting their opponents. And since I'm officially a fighter, I need to pump up for this!"

"What? Why would we taunt?" Shulk raised his voice in confusion.

"Taunting is used to annoy, provoke, mock, or celebrate yourself... Wait a second!" Mac looked straight at Shulk's face. "You came just in the right moment! You're a newcomer, and you don't have any taunts! Why don't we work on your taunts?" Mac spoke eagerly.

_"Uh-oh... What should I do?" _Shulk contemplated for a few seconds before answering. "Okay, let's do this."

**Four small hearts raised**

"All right! Now we're talking!" Mac grinned with a fist pump. "Let's start off by you saying a quote!"

"A quote, huh?" Shulk put his hand on his chin. "I'm thinking more of the lines of not intimidating my opponents."

Mac raised his brows. "What? You should do the opposite!" Mac insisted.

"Hang on! You haven't even heard of what quote I'm about to say!" Shulk argued.

"Well, what quote is on your mind?"

"Now it's Shulk time!"

**Four small hearts lowered**

"Huh? That's...an odd quote," Mac admitted, tilting his head.

"To be honest, it's a catchphrase from my best friend: Reyn," Shulk explained. "It's actually, 'Now it's Reyn time!' He actually does this to taunt monsters so that the aggro is focused on him instead of me."

"So, in other words, you stole your best friend's catchphrase, and now you're gonna steal his taunt?" Mac could not contain his smirk.

Shulk could not contain his smile. "I don't think Reyn will mind. In fact, I think he'll just laugh in a good way. It'll be like using his name for a pun."

"Heh heh!" Mac chuckled. "Well, if you say so. Go on and say it in front of the mirror!"

As Shulk faced the mirror, he recalled of how Reyn did his Talent Art called Mad Taunt. Normally, no one but Reyn can use Mad Taunt, but Shulk can do Reyn's pose. Once Shulk remembered, he bent forward and down slightly and lifted up his left fist. "Now it's Shulk time!" Shulk imitated Reyn's voice.

"Whoa! It's like you're a different person! All right! I approve of this!" Mac complimented. "How about we call that for the day and resume another day?"

**One big heart raised**

"Yeah. Saying that quote makes me think Reyn's spirit is with me," Shulk smiled, then thought in his mind. _"I wonder how Reyn is doing... I hope he really doesn't mind if I use his catchphrase."_

* * *

><p><span><em>Heartwarming – I'm Really Feeling It!<em>

"What are you doing, Mac?" Shulk asked the boxer. "It looked like you were posing."

"Hey, Shulk," Mac greeted, wiping a sweat from his forehead. "I'm doing my taunts."

"Taunts?"

"Oh yeah..." Mac realized. "You don't know about this. When I played the role as an Assist Trophy in the past, one of the things I learned was the fighters taunting their opponents. And since I'm officially a fighter, I need to pump up for this!"

"What? Why would we taunt?" Shulk raised his voice in confusion.

"Taunting is used to annoy, provoke, mock, or celebrate yourself... Wait a second!" Mac looked straight at Shulk's face. "You came just in the right moment! You're a newcomer, and you don't have any taunts! Why don't we work on your taunts?" Mac spoke eagerly.

_"Uh-oh... What should I do?" _Shulk contemplated for a few seconds before answering. "Okay, let's do this."

**Four small hearts raised**

"All right! Now we're talking!" Mac grinned with a fist pump. "Let's start off by you saying a quote!"

"A quote, huh?" Shulk put his hand on his chin. "I'm thinking more of the lines of not intimidating my opponents."

Mac raised his brows. "What? You should do the opposite!" Mac insisted.

"Hang on! You haven't even heard of what quote I'm about to say!" Shulk argued.

"Well, what quote is on your mind?"

"I'm really feeling it!"

**Four small hearts raised**

"Yes, that's the one!" Mac grinned. "I can feel that quote, all right! Where does that come from?"

"I say it when I'm feeling focused in battle," Shulk replied. "There's also another quote when my tension is very high."

"And what's that?"

"'Nothing's gonna stop me.'"

"That's perfect! Say these quotes in front of the mirror! Go!"

"Uh...okay," Shulk felt apprehensive of doing this. It sounded a bit silly and out-of-character to taunt his opponents in this world. Then again, his friends back home yelled out a lot of iconic quotes during battle; Shulk was no exception of this. "I'm really feeling it," Shulk spoke firmly.

Mac frowned at Shulk. "C'mon Shulk! You can do it better than that! Again, but louder this time!"

"I'm really feeling it!" Shulk yelled just like his past battles in his world.

"Louder! Stronger!"

"I'M REALLY FEELING IT!" Shulk put his left fist in front of him with a menacing glare while gripping the Monado's handle with his right hand.

"YEAH, SHULK! GET IT STUCK IN! SCREAM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL!"

"I'M REALLY FEELING IT!"

"I'M REALLY FEELIN' IT!"

"I'M REALLY FEELING IT!"

"ARE YOU FEELIN' IT NOW, SHULK?" Mac barked at Shulk's ear.

"I'M REALLY FEELING IT, AND NOTHING'S GONNA STOP ME!" Shulk slowly began to pant after all that shouting, then he and Mac started to chuckle uncontrollably. After around 15 seconds, they slowly stopped chuckling. "You know, Mac, that felt...pretty good."

"See? What did I told ya?" Mac smiled proudly. "It really makes you pump up in battle."

"Yeah, you're right."

"I can't wait when we use our taunts in a team battle. We should sign up when we get the chance. What say you, Shulk?" Mac raised his right fist in front of Shulk.

**One big heart raised**

"With you and me, they will know our names!" Shulk declared as he did raised his right fist and connected it to Little Mac's right fist.

* * *

><p><strong>Shulk [Blue Circle Affinity] Little Mac<br>Really feeling it!**

**For more Heart-to-Heart one-shots, check the Super Smash Bros. Community titled "Heart-to-Heart: Smash Edition."**


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